


All I want for Christmas...

by kasaru_chan



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Established Relationship, In which Lorenz is ME, M/M, Romantic Comedy, Two Shot, late christmas fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:18:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22010140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kasaru_chan/pseuds/kasaru_chan
Summary: "Alas no, not tomorrow, he's flying in on Christmas Eve." Lorenz sighed longingly, slipping his coat over his shoulders.Karen peeked up over the computer, her gaze concerned. "I hate to be the one to break it to you sir, but tomorrowisChristmas Eve."Lorenz has put some things off to the last minute.
Relationships: Lorenz Hellman Gloucester/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 55





	All I want for Christmas...

**Author's Note:**

> To everyone who put off their shopping to Christmas Eve, I salute you!
> 
> Special thanks to Cali for beta-ing this sucker. I love you! <3
> 
> I swear to god I'm still working on RC this is just a little Christmas offering that is SUPER late, I am so sorry! T_T Part 2 is half done so I'll try to get it out by this year ;)

A tentative knock on the door jam pulled Lorenz's eyes from his computer screen. His eyes adjusted from the bright backlit screen to the dimmer fluorescent lights of his office, blinking away the spots that dotted his vision.

Standing there in the doorway was his secretary, Karen, looking stern with a fist resting on her cocked hip. "Sir, its late, you need to go home."

Lorenz glanced at his floor to ceiling glass pane windows. The sky outside a pitch black, his computer clock blinking 8:52pm at him.

"Oh, yes — thank you, just let me finish this last report and I'll be all-"

"No, leave now," Karen said curtly, arms folded over her chest. "You have been pulling all nighters all week… I don't even think I've seen you take a lunch break today."

A low growl in his stomach was proof that no, he did not take a lunch break today. The woman raised an eyebrow and Lorenz flushed in embarrassment.

"While I appreciate the concern, this marketing report needs to be out by the 27th and I barely even started…" Lorenz sighed, sliding his glasses off to rub at his strained eyes.

"Then let _me_ pull the all-nighter and start it," Karen said, making her way around the desk to look over the data figures on his computer screen.

"I can't ask you to-!" Lorenz started to protest before he was interrupted by a hand being held out to his face.

"It's no trouble. Consider it my Christmas gift to you." 

"Karen…" Lorenz said, feeling touched.

"Besides, isn't your boyfriend flying in tomorrow?" Karen pointed out with a sly smile before lightly shooing him from his seat. Lorenz got up as she sat down to work, plucking his winter coat from his office coat rack.

Lorenz's boyfriend, Claude, was working tirelessly with Leicester's ambassador in Almyra. He was initially brought on due to his ability to speak fluently in both languages but he was slowly growing a bit of a political following, due to his charismatic way of speaking and his seemingly miraculous connections to various members of the royal family. There was even talk of giving him the Leicester Ambassador position permanently, which Claude bragged was step three in his ten step plan to run for office. 

Lorenz was terribly proud of him and showed nothing but support for his political ambitions. But his work had him travel a great deal, which meant a lot of lonely nights and long distance phone calls across different time zones.

"Alas no, not tomorrow, he's flying in on Christmas Eve." Lorenz sighed longingly, slipping his coat over his shoulders.

Karen peeked up over the computer, her gaze concerned. "I hate to be the one to break it to you sir, but tomorrow _is_ Christmas Eve."

Lorenz froze, eyes blank before quickly whipping out his phone out from his coat pocket. 

' _Dec. 23rd_ '

"Tomorrow is _Christmas Eve!"_ Lorenz screeched.

"...I just said that sir." Karen said, tone deadpan. Her eyes drifting back to the screen as her manicured nails rhythmically tapped away at the keys.

"I haven't done _any_ shopping!" Lorenz could almost feel his blood pressure skyrocket as he went over his schedule for tomorrow. He was going to a Christmas Eve party tomorrow night at Hilda's, a potluck sort of get together… Curses, what was he supposed to bring again? Was it hors d'oeuvres ? Yes, he was to bring hors d'oeuvres as well as gifts for Hilda, Marianne, Leonie, Ignatz… at least ten people!

Plus he had to pick up Claude from the airport and get _him_ a gift too! And he had less than 24 hours to do it. How was he going to-?

"Sir are you ok?" Karen asked, glancing up from the screen.

"I- I have to go!" Lorenz said quickly buttoning his coat and hurrying out the door.

Karen's gaze darted to the office chair where Lorenz's Cartier black messenger bag sat. "Wait!" She called after him "You forgot your-"

Lorenz did an immediate about face that sent his curtain of hair fanning out dramatically and walked briskly back into his office, hoisting the bag strap onto his shoulder. 

"Yes. Thank you." Lorenz nodded. "Take care and have a good holiday Karen. Make sure you lock up." He didn't even wait for a response as he glided down the aisle of cubicles to the elevator and furiously jammed the down button with his thumb.

"Oh dear…" Karen sighed with a pitying shake of her head, returning her full attention to the marketing report. "I hope he eats something..."

\------

Lorenz's alarm clock blared loudly at 4 in the morning, his tired eyes snapping open.

He had spent the better part of last night, running from market to market gathering ingredients, and making an assortment of small bite sized appetizers.

He made at least three different bite sized classics, red and green deviled eggs, bacon wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese and chorizo. And finally, a favorite of Claude's, kashke bademjan, an eggplant dip with roasted nuts, herbs and spices. 

It was his first time making kashke bademjan, so hopefully it turned out okay and not a complete disaster. Claude's mother sent him the recipe about a month ago with a little winky face emoji and the subject line, 'To my future son-in-law.'

Lorenz had scoffed at the thought. Not that such a thought was unwelcome, quite the opposite, Lorenz adored Claude's family and they've been together for almost three years now. It was normal to expect a marriage proposal by now.

But Claude just wasn't the type to be (metaphorically) tied down or require a label for their relationship and that was _fine._ If Claude didn't want it then Lorenz wouldn't force it upon him. He was fine with staying as boyfriends. Or so he tried to tell himself...

He put the thought out of his mind and busied himself with putting the food in his, mostly empty, fridge. When he turned back to his kitchen, he was horrified to see the mess he made of it. Refusing to leave it as such, Lorenz rolled up his sleeves and cleaned the entire thing to his satisfaction before finally going to sleep.

Back in the present Lorenz rubbed the sleep from his eyes and let out a groan as he sat up and stretched. Claude's flight was to arrive at six and there was sure to be traffic as other people were returning home for the holidays. 

Shuffling to his en suite bathroom, he took in his reflection, disgusted by the bags under his eyes and how oily his skin was. His hair too was lacking in its glossed perfect sheen and hung limp and greasy down the side of his face. He looked like someone who had only gotten two hours of sleep and skipped his nighttime skin care routine entirely. Which was entirely accurate, but that didn't mean he had to _look_ like it.

_'I am absolutely not going to see Claude for the first time in weeks looking like this,'_ Lorenz huffed, turning on his shower. _'It's sure to send him running back onto the plane when he sees how hideous I look.'_

A quick shower and blow dry later had Lorenz's hair returned back to its silky soft, pin straight style. The bags under his bloodshot eyes proved far more difficult to hide, his concealer and foundation combo only able to do so much. But after a bit he finally felt satisfied enough with how he looked. He certainly appeared much more put together than he felt, as holiday stress was starting to fray his last nerve.

And it was only…

Lorenz felt his tired eyes nearly pop out of his head as he stole a glance at his kitchen clock.

_5:30!_

He nearly screamed as he grabbed his wallet and phone, barely remembering to grab his coat and fold the garment over his arm. He disregarded the elevator completely as he raced down the steps, taking them two at a time and nearly bursting out onto the street to hail a cab to take him to the airport.

\------

As expected, the traffic was a nightmare. Lorenz's leg fidgeted impatiently, becoming more and more agitated as the clock started ticking closer to 6 before going past it. He ended up not getting to Claude's terminal until almost a half hour past Claude's estimated arrival time.

_'I'm a terrible boyfriend!'_ Lorenz thought in a hurried panic as he raced to the baggage claim. ' _The absolute worst. Claude is going to break up with me because I'm so terrible! Three years… we had a goo-'_

But when Lorenz finally had a visual on him, seeing Claude mere moments before Claude had seen him, his panicked worries turned silent. 

Claude was bent over his phone, lip caught between teeth and his brow furrowed in concern. Lorenz had not seen him since he visited Almyra for Thanksgiving break and he was somehow even more beautiful now then he was back then. His thick wavy hair pushed back save for that one maddening strand that was always dangling in front of his face. 

When ever they were in bed together, right before sleep took them, Lorenz would find himself struck by the desire to smooth the curl back from his face with the rest of his hair. He also favored curling it playfully around his finger, rubbing the strand between the pads of his fingers. Claude would always watched him do it with the most tiredly content expression on his face.

_"What I wouldn't give for one more second to keep watching you..."_

Claude looked up from his phone just as Lorenz snapped out of his daydream. His eyes making contact with Lorenz's and he beamed excitedly as he approached, his suitcase trailing behind him. 

As if his chest was being pulled by a string, Lorenz rushed forward to meet him halfway. Claude suddenly dropped his suitcase to catch Lorenz by his waist, a playful little gleam in his eye. The taller man let out an undignified yelp as he was pulled into a low dip, a searing, passionate kiss pressed to his lips as he scrambled to coordinate his limbs to keep from falling. He needn't have worried, Claude's hand on his back held him securely. Lorenz then wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed back, meeting him in equal enthusiasm.

"Darling you made it!" Claude laughed, lifting him back on his feet even though Lorenz's knees felt like jelly. "I was worried," he murmured, reaching up to cup Lorenz's face in both hands, his broad thumbs stroking his cheeks.

Claude's display surely had drawn the attention of everyone in the airport but Lorenz could care less as he tilted his head forward to press his forehead to Claude's. "My apologies..." Lorenz murmured, licking the taste of Claude from his mouth and delighting in how it briefly drew his gaze. It was addicting to know he could still affect the man as much as he affected Lorenz.

"It's a little belated but," Lorenz said, removing one of Claude's hands from his face and planting a kiss to his palm, barely a soft brush of his lips, "welcome home."

"Yeah…" Claude chuckled, it sounded breathy, nervous but when Lorenz opened his eyes the smile was nothing but adoring. "I'm home."

\------

They loaded up the cab with Claude's suitcase and shoved their way in the back, giggling like a couple of lovestruck teenagers who could not stop touching each other. The rush of seeing Claude soon petered out and Lorenz was left feeling like a husk of his usual self as he rested his head on Claude's shoulder. The Almyran male lightly stroking his fingers through the silk curtain of his hair, the gesture soothing Lorenz to a gentle sleep.

He was awakened some time later as Claude gently shook his shoulder. They had arrived at their apartment and the cab driver was giving them both a dirty look, waiting for them to leave his cab.

"Oh goodness!" Lorenz said, covering a yawn behind his fist. "I'm so sorry! I completely fell asleep!"

"Don't worry about it," Claude chuckled pulling out a few crisp bills from his wallet to pay the cab faire, despite Lorenz's aborted protests. "You seemed tired."

It wasn't _exactly_ a question, but the way Claude glanced sideways at him when he said made it feel like one. Lorenz let out a sigh, getting out of the cab on his side. He knew better than to try and lie to Claude, the man was in politics after all.

"I may have put some things off to the last minute." Lorenz sighed running a nervous hand through his hair as Claude retrieved his suitcase. "I've been so busy with work that I haven't done any shopping… and I just finished the appetizers for Hilda's party last night."

"Ah, so that's why my usually punctual boyfriend was late," Claude said, slamming the trunk shut. "Well, we still have about twelve hours before the party, why don't we do the Christmas gift shopping together?"

"Are you certain?" Lorenz asked worriedly, trailing after Claude up the front steps. "You must be terribly jet lagged..."

"Pfft, I'm fine." Claude chuckled waving him off. "Knowing you, there's already a list prepared right? If we split it between us, we'll get it done in half the time."

It was sound logic, but Lorenz hated the thought of inconveniencing his boyfriend further after he _just_ got home because of his own misjudgment.

"Also, I do not want to be sleeping alone in the apartment while my boyfriend does all the heavy lifting." Claude frowned his free hand running through his hair. "We're a team, after all. We do this together."

It set Lorenz's heart racing to hear that. _A team?_ Lorenz had always selfishly thought so, that no one could match Claude like he could. To hear Claude confirm it so clearly caused the lingering protests to dry up on his tongue. "V-very well... if you insist," he acquiesced with a proud sniff, trying to hide his small smile. Claude smirked to himself, knowing he won the argument.

"Let's just drop off my stuff at the apartment and we can head out," Claude said motioning with his head for Lorenz to open the lobby door.

Lorenz dug into his coat pocket, but could neither feel the cool metal ring nor hear the familiar jingle of his keys. He dug into the other before patting down his person and realizing with dawning horror that, in his rush to make it to the airport, he left his keys in the bowl on the console table.

Lorenz let out a soft groan, bumping his forehead against the door repeatedly at his own stupidity. Claude for his part didn't look the least bit put off or annoyed, if anything he seemed amused as he put down his suitcase and extracted his phone.

"I'll call the superintendent," he offered, on the verge of laughing.

Lorenz envied his good humor.

\------

A quick call, a two hours in the cold later, they finally made it to the apartment. Claude dropped his suitcase in their shared bedroom while Lorenz made it a point to shove his keys into his coat pocket. He vaguely heard the sound of Claude opening the side table drawer and let out an impatient huff.

"Are you _unpacking_?" Lorenz asked checking the time on his phone. "We don't have time, Claude!"

"I know, I know," Claude assured, emerging from the room with his hands shoved in his coat pocket. He was wearing that charming smile that was just a touch too big. It was the one that was usually used to hide… something. "I just needed to put something away that's all.”

Lorenz wanted to ask, but the superintendent debacle had already placed them way behind schedule. "Well hurry up then! We have to go!" Lorenz huffed tapping his foot.

"Aww…" Claude cooed, planting a kiss on Lorenz furrowed brow. "You're cute when you're bossy."

Lorenz scowled, grabbing tight onto Claude's arm and tugging him out the door. "Is that right? Well I'm sure to be a lot cuter then if we don't hurry, _now_!"

"You didn't forget anything did you?"

"No!"

"Wallet?" Claude asked with a raised brow.

Lorenz patted his pockets, unable to feel the familiar lump of leather. "Where-!?"

Claude's gaze drifted to the console table, where Lorenz's wallet lay, completely unassuming, on the console table next to the key bowl.

Lorenz flushed and swiped the wallet off the table, shoving it into his coat pocket. "Not. A word."

"I wasn't going to say anything, my dear," Claude said with his hands held up, that adorably innocent smile gracing his handsome features. 

Lorenz let out a sigh, leaning down to kiss him once more before taking Claude's hand in his and weaving their fingers together as they exited their apartment.

\--------

The shops were literally a nightmare, filled to bursting with shoppers that were just as woefully unprepared as him. There was a sort of frenetic energy, a desperation that threatened to send Lorenz further into a panic. However every time, Claude squeezed his hand and it grounded Lorenz slightly, giving him a moment to breathe.

About two thirds through the list Lorenz could feel the effects of skipping breakfast start to take their toll. His hands shaking slightly and his head starting to spin. But it was fine, he could power through it, they were almost…

"Hmm I'm a bit hungry," Claude murmured offhandedly, sounding casual. "Let's take a break and get some lunch."

Lorenz squinted suspiciously at him, he knew this ploy well. Claude knew Lorenz well enough to know he was too proud to stop for food when it was just for his own sake. However, Lorenz always took the time to stop for a meal if it was for someone else. 

Lorenz had gotten wise to Claude's game about a year ago, but it was also possible that he didn't eat anything at the airport and he was genuinely hungry. Lorenz's lateness left him uncertain, how terribly insidious of his schemer…

"...Very well, but since you paid for the cab, it's my treat," Lorenz huffed in an attempt to salvage his pride.

"Sounds fair," Claude hummed, as pleased as a cat that's caught the canary.

They ate at a lovely little sit down cafe, conversing over savory crepes and tea. Claude made a valiant attempt at eating his but it was obvious he was not nearly as hungry as he claimed… the bastard.

Lorenz on the other hand struggled to eat his politely even as he wanted to wolf the whole thing down and maybe finish Claude's. Claude wordlessly offered him a bite in the guise of a sweetly romantic gesture, but with that knowing smirk on his face. Lorenz scowled even as he closed his mouth around the offered bite of spinach and feta crepe… it was _divine._

"Thank you for coming with me…" Lorenz sighed behind his napkin. "I don't know what would have become of me if you hadn't."

"Probably passed out from hunger in an alleyway somewhere," Claude offered from behind his mug of tea, his foot playfully rubbing against the side of Lorenz's calf muscle.

Lorenz cleared his throat but made no move to deter Claude which caused his smile to widen. "I truly don't know how you put up with me..." he muttered quietly to himself, hoping Claude didn't hear it.

No such luck, the man frowned, his foot pausing in its ministrations as he leaned forward.

"Hey now, none of that. I'm having an _amazing_ time getting to spend today with you and I'm going to have an even more amazing time with you tomorrow…" He suddenly trailed off, his eyes darting to the side. 

That set off an alarm in Lorenz's head, his insecurities rising like bile in his throat. "What is it?"

Claude looked up, startled. "Nothing," he said quickly.

"It's not nothing. What's wrong?" Lorenz pressed trying to keep himself from assuming the worst. Claude was refusing to meet his eyes and that could only mean one thing. "You're keeping something from me," Lorenz stated, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"It's nothing bad I promise," Claude insisted before taking a nervous gulp of his tea. "Hey, so who's left on our list? I think we should get Felix one of those self defense tasers to keep Sylvain from harassing him."

It was a clumsy change of topic but Lorenz reluctantly allowed it. He took another bite of his crepe even though his stomach felt like it was twisted up in knots. All the possible worst case scenarios running through his head.

He thought he and Claude were past keeping secrets. So what could Claude possibly be keeping from him now that has him so nervous?

\------


End file.
